JUDICIARY AND LAW COMMITTEE

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Administrative Center – Room 3220

2:30 p.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Vicki Burke, Keith Belzer, John Medinger, Jacie Gamroth, Maureen Freedland,  Joe Bilskemper (exc @3:14)      

MEMBERS EXCUSED:  Bernie Maney       

MEMBERS ABSENT:  None 

STAFF & GUESTS:  Steve Helgeson, Jay Loeffler, Jeff Wolf, Keith Butler, Steve O’Malley, Matt Zavadsky, Sharon Hampson, Cheryl Stephen

CALL TO ORDER

Committee Chair Vicki Burke called the meeting to order at 2:31 p.m. 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

MOTION by Belzer/Gamroth to approve minutes of November 6, 2007.  Motion carried unanimously; Maney excused. 

CONSENT AGENDA

MOTION by Belzer/Gamroth to accept the following Consent Agenda items:

• Criminal Justice Management Council Minutes of November 21, 2007
• Criminal Justice Management Council Executive Committee Minutes of November 14, 2007
• Emergency Medical Dispatch Advisory Committee Minutes of November 1, 2007

Motion carried unanimously; Maney excused. 

PUBLIC COMMENT

None requested.

APPROVE CHECK REQUISITIONS OVER $20,000

Jay Loeffler reviewed three (3) check requisitions that needed committee approval.  Copies of one check requisition were sent with the agenda and two others as handouts.

1)     MOTION by Gamroth/Bilskemper to approve payment to Communications Service, Inc., in amount of $122,445.15.  This is 4^th and final payment for the microwave replacement.  Motion carried unanimously; Maney excused.

2)     MOTION by Bilskemper/Gamroth to approve payment to CenturyTel in amount of $113,586.97.  This is one time charge for wireless network costs and will be reimbursed by the State E911 wireless grant.  The grant was originally approved for $106,000+ based on a projection by CenturyTel; if the State will not reimburse the total cost, CenturyTel has agreed to credit the difference in cost.  Motion carried unanimously; Maney excused.

3)     MOTION by Belzer/Bilskemper to approve payment to CenturyTel in amount of $27,395.55.  This is for 9 months of monthly service for wireless network; monthly cost is $3,043.95; this is also reimbursed by the State E911 wireless grant.  Motion carried unanimously; Maney excused.

ACCEPT REGIONAL MASS CASUALTY INCIDENT EQUIPMENT GRANT FROM OFFICE OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE

Keith Butler reviewed as well as presented a PowerPoint presentation.  In September, 2007, his office received notification to participate in FY 2006 Homeland Security Regional Mass Casualty Incident Equipment Grant.  There is $375,000 available for 9 potential applicants.  In 1997, a County Mass Casualty Advisory Committee was established; by 2001 a Team was formed for the group and with available grant dollars, purchased 4 mass casualty trailers, including response equipment, and located them in different locations throughout the County.  On October 23, 2007, Keith and several others met with Office of Justice Assistance staff and worked out some of the details of the grant, though there are concerns:  1) some items require periodic rotation, 2) some require a heated garage, 3) no funds available for sustainment, 4) no provision of providing a tow vehicle, etc.  Keith noted he and Matt Zavadsky of Tri-State Ambulance have a verbal agreement that Tri-State will co-host a trailer that includes this equipment.  If the grant is approved and accepted, an agreement would be finalized and reviewed by Corp. Counsel, and signed by all involved entities.  The benefit of accepting the grant is the capability of responding to mass casualty, if ever needed.  Matt Zavadsky noted Town of Shelby has agreed to house the trailer in their heated facility off of Ward Avenue.  Tri-State will inspect the trailer monthly and rotate supplies; if Tri-State cannot use the supplies within 60-day timeframe, and those supplies with 30 day or less timeframe will be offered to the local hospitals who have agreed to this concept.  Miscellaneous questions.  Noted OJA only works with government entities – not private, such as hospitals; the state prefers regionalization.  MOTION by Bilskemper/Medinger to accept, as presented,  the 2006 Homeland Security Regional Mass Casualty Incident Equipment grant dollars.  Motion carried unanimously; Maney excused.  

ACCEPT STATE CRIMINAL ALIEN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SCAAP) GRANT

Sheriff Helgeson reviewed the SCAAP grant.  Justice Benefits Inc. (JBI) specializes in federal revenue maximization for state and local governments.  The SCAAP provides federal assistance for incurring costs of incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens who have been convicted of a felony or two misdemeanors and have been incarcerated for a minimum of 4 consecutive days.  The Sheriff’s Dept. will input the data on the provided software and JBI collects the data and proceeds to analyze it according to the program guidelines.  JBI currently works with 600 counties nationwide and 32 counties in Wisconsin.  Reimbursement funds can be used toward salaries, overtime, recruitment, construction of facilities, training/education of offenders, training of officers, medical and mental health services, etc.  La Crosse County had previously been involved with the program, but discontinued due to less available dollars.  Starting in 2006, an additional $100 million was added for a total of $400 million available nationwide.  The County could expect a dollar amount similar to Eau Claire County which received $5,259 or $8,345 as received by Monroe County.  Miscellaneous questions.  MOTION by Bilskemper/Medinger to approve for the Sheriff’s Dept. the participation in the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP).  Motion carried unanimously; Maney excused.   

DISCUSS ANNUAL JAIL INSPECTION REPORT

Copies of the Annual Jail Inspection Report (18 pages) and cover letter (6 pages), dated November 14, 2007, as sent by Scott Morris the Jail Inspector, were sent with the agenda.  Sheriff Helgeson noted the entire report was positive with the exception of staff shortage which will be resolved with the LEC addition and remodeling and the need to clean air ducts which are also being worked on.  Supervisor Freedland said she compared it with the previous year report and noted the positive difference; she is pleased with the recent report.  Supervisor Belzer commended the Sheriff and staff for their efforts in creating a more positive jail environment which is reflected in the report.

APPROVE SQUAD CAR BID

Sheriff Helgeson reviewed, noting with the help of the Purchasing Manager, squad car bids were solicited from Ford dealers as the Crown Victoria is the preferred car by the department and patrolmen as it has adequate room for all of the equipment as well as comfortable ride for an 8-hour shift.  Two bids were received for the following:  five (5) 2008 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor that included vehicle registration, alarms, alerts, lights disconnect.  The two bidders were:  (1) Brenengen Ford Mercury, Sparta, in amount of $106,997.50 and (2) Dahl Ford, La Crosse, in amount of $108,050.  Copies of the two bids were distributed.  MOTON by Belzer/Medinger to approve the low bid from Brenengen Ford Mercury in amount of $106,997.50.  Motion carried unanimously; Maney, Bilskemper excused.  Chief Deputy Wolf noted $115,000 is in the 2008 budget for such purchase. 

ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDAS

None requested.

LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE MEETING

Committee Chair Burke noted the 4:00 p.m. meeting today for the LEC Construction Committee.

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION by Gamroth/Medinger to adjourn the meeting.  Motion carried unanimously; Maney, Bilskemper excused.  The meeting adjourned at 3:38 p.m.

Disclaimer:  The above minutes may be approved, amended or corrected at the next committee meeting.

Cheryl Stephen, Recorder